Method of locating pictorial cuts on newspaper pages



Dec. 4, 19? ,6

' A. L. IMYSHAUG METHOD OF LOCATING PICTORIAL CUTS on NEWSPAPER PAGES Filed April 26, 1955 4 ,5 FIG- [EI 5 I Er r Z/I5 INVENTOR. ARNOLD l IMSHALJG BY 2. f M A TORNEYS United States Patent METHOD OF LOCATlNG PICTORIAL CUTS ON NEWSPAPER PAGES Arnold L. Imshaug, Montague, Mass.

Application April 26, 1955, Serial No. 504,071

1 Claim. (Cl. 101-426) This invention relates to a locator device for use in registering screened cuts or halftone photographs in back to back relation on opposite pages of a single sheet for newspapers.

An object of the present invention is to provide a device which can be used to record the format of one newspaper page with respect to the placement of photo graphic or halftone cuts so that similar cuts planned for the page at the opposite side of the newspaper sheet can be matched in back to back relation relationship and thus result in a cleaner appearance and better reproduction of the pictorial matter of such cuts. The result of the new method is to largely or completely eliminate show-through, strike-throng and off-set generally appearing on pictorial cuts and particularly on the side of the newspaper sheet which was printed first.

In strike-throng the ink from one face of a sheet of newsprint penetrates or soaks through the paper, making a more or less observable negative reproduction of the printing visible at the opposite side of the paper. The extent of penetration is affected by the amount of ink,d the kind, its viscosity and the structure of the paper use Show-through is a condition similar in appearance to strike-through, but is affected by the capacity and weight of the paper used as well as the structure of said paper.

OE-set is a condition prevalent in newspaper printing, found only on the first impression pages, its extent being dependent upon the amount of ink used, the absorbency of the paper used and the constancy of the Web feed.

It has been observed in letterpress printing and particularly in newspaper printing that the above named conditions usually exist when type or line matter appears in backed position to screen cuts or photographs thus resulting in a blotched or mottled background and a poor reproduction of the picture. However, it has also been found that these conditions are eliminated or greatly improved when screen cuts or photos are backed up to one another on opposite faces of the newspaper sheet.

Blotched or mottled photographs can be observed in any newspaper as a result of show-throng strikethrough and off-set. It is a condition objectionable to editors, readers and advertisers alike since a proof of a halftone or screened cut on a newsprint sheet printed one side only will ordinarily reveal a clean, neat appearing, clear picture. Up to the present time no method has been devised to correct this condition resulting in poor reproductions of newspaper cuts where of necessity both sides of a sheet are printed.

In making up the forms for the various pages of a newspaper in a composing room the forms are not handled consecuctively according to page number. For obvious reasons the front page is not made up until a late hour and likewise the sequence of making up other pages for various reasons does not fall into a consecutively numbered order. For example, the form for 2,772,631 Patented Dec. 4, 1956 page 23 may be made up and the printing plate cast for that page a matter of hours before the form for page 24 is prepared for the opposite side of the sheet. In later setting up the form for page 24, therefor, information as to the placement of any screened cuts on page 23 is not then readily available so as to enable a conscious effort to place any screened cuts marked for page 24 in backed relation to those already positioned on page 23.

According to the described method for improving the printing of screened cuts on newspaper pages theprocedure and sequence of making up the forms for each page requires a tool to enable the men composing the forms to place the screened cuts in the most advantageous positions as may be indicated by the format of the page to appear at the opposite side of the single sheet in the newspaper. The device of the present invention is designed to supply this need.

'The above stated and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description. In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a face view of a device embodying the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a view of the reverse side thereof.

Referring to Fig. l a rectangular member 1 of transparent sheet material, preferably of a stiflly flexible nature, is shown with vertical indicia lines 2 thereon and a horizontal indicia line 3 at the top. The width of the member 1 is preferably equal to the width of the particular newspaper forms (not shown) with which it is to be used. The vertical lines 2 indicate column lines of the form and from the bottom up to the line 3 are the same height as the columns of the form. Line 3 is marked to denote the head rule of the page. Both line 2 and line 3 may be scribed on member 1 in any suitable manner to be visible from either side of the transparent sheet or they may be separately marked on both faces.

It will be apparent that a separate member 1 will be provided for each sheet of the newspaper, representing on opposite sides thereof two consecutively numbered pages of the paper. For example four transparent sheets 1 would be required for an eight page newspaper. Above the head rule line 3 (Fig. 1) the page notation may be marked, as, for example, Page 1. In backed position on the reverse side of member 1 an opposite page notation as Page 2 (Fig. 2) is marked. Preferably, the page notations have a backing so as to blank the notation from the opposite side of member 1. Thus when used on the forms only one page designation will be visible.

In the drawings both sides of a transparent member 1 are shown. As page forms are made up in the composing room each transparent member 1 is used to make a record of the location of each screened cut on the page which is made up first. For example, if a page 2 form is made up first, then the Page l-Page 2 transparent member is placed on the top of the form with the side marked page 2 visible. The correct positioning of the member 1 is adjusted by means of the column and head rule lines 2 and 3. Then the position of each screened or halftone cut is marked in outline on the sheet. This is indicated on Fig. 2 by the free hand lines 5. The marking is made with a suitable crayon, which may be later cleaned 01f by wiping with a suitable eraser as a piece of felt cloth.

The member 1 as marked on the page 2 surface is then set aside until the form for page 1 is being planned and made up. It is then placed on the form with the side denoted as page 1 being upwardly faced. Being transparent, the crayon marked outline of the cuts on the opposite page 2 side are now visible to serve as a pulse and locate Within the marked area those cuts which have been designated for page 1. Thus in the final printing of the pages the cuts will be in back to back position for an improved reproduction, of both cuts. It is also to be noted in following the practice of backing up the cuts that those on the pagesiirst printed on the press, known as first impression pages, should be the same size as or smaller thanthe cuts appearingon the second impression pages. This is for the reason that if the cut on the first impression page is not completely backed up, the condition known as off-set will be in evidence in any portion not backed up.

When the second form for the backed pages of a sheet is completed and sent out for preparing the press plate, the marked surface of the member 1 can then be cleaned and the member deposited as in a suitable rack for use when preparing the next edition of a paper.

What is claimed is:

The method of arranging cuts of photographs, drawings and the like interspersed With type impressions on the pages of newspapers and similar printed matter for the improved reproduction of said cuts comprising the 4 steps of registering in sequence individual transparent sheets on each of the makeup forms of pages planned and arranged in advance of similar forms for the pages which are to be ultimately printed in back to back relation on the reverse side of each of the pages for which said first forms were prepared, marking on the transparent sheets registered with each of said first prepared forms an outline of the location of the cuts positioned on the forms,-then as'each of said reverse page forms is being made up, registering the transparent sheet hearing the outline of the cuts to be printed in said backed relation, and, with the marked face of said sheet against said form locating the cuts planned for said reverse page form to coincide in printing location with the printing location of the marked outlines of the cuts of the first prepared form.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,153,896 Dittrich Sept. 21, 1915 2,236,000 Koessler et al. Mar.,25,.1941- 2,680,405 Faeber et al. June 8, 1945 

